God's living temple

"For God's temple is holy, and YOU are that temple." 

1 Corinthians 3:17b (NLT)

Remember that you and I are God's temples, not our own.  Therefore, you and I have absolutely no right to use, abuse, and dishonor it.  So, let's ask ourself these questions, and make the necessary changes to ensure that sure we are treating our physical and mental bodies as the temples they've been created to be:

Am I harming myself physically or mentally when I choose to engage in __________ ?

Would God approve of what I am doing or thinking right now?

Do I feel worthy of God's love?

Is what I am thinking in line with God's Word or is it in line with the world's views?

What positive steps can I make, in Christ, to change the unhealthy habits, hangups, and excuses that I have been holding on to, and believing, for so long?

Now it is time to go further and gets serious about changing some of the unhealthy, un-real, thoughts and actions.  So, take the first step and dig in - really dig in - to the Word of God and from there He will show and lead us to the answers and help we need.  

And, if it is any help, know that I will be working on the exact same thing.

God Bless

Eating, exercising, body disorders... all of the above?

"Don't waste your energy striving for perishable food like that.  Work for food that sticks with you, food that nourishes your lasting life, food the Son of Man provides.  He and what he does are guaranteed by God the Father to last." 
John 6:27 MSG

This isn't just a great verse for all of us to read, it is really a great verse for those of us suffering, struggling, or who have suffered and struggled in the past, with eating and/or body disorders.  

As one living the struggles of fitness and thinness on a daily basis, I find myself passionately searching out worldly foods and sources to keep me thin, making sure to stay on the fine line of never eating too much, and if I do, over-exercising later - in essence, punishing my flesh and my mind for making such a huge booboo.  Therefore, as I meditate on this verse, I am reminded that God is my nourishment, and if I passionately pursue him first, before worldly food and exercise, my mind and body will begin to heal and He will show and give me the nourishment I need; the nourishment in the now and the nourishment eternally.  

If anyone can relate, then join me on rededicating this part of your life to Christ.  Let's give him the lead on this, and let's see what happens.  Let's get serious and kick this addiction/disorder to the wayside with strength from Christ and use His authority and power to tromp it to ashes once and for all.  It is time!  

We can do this, we will do this!  
How?  
God - that's how!   

Your body is not your own. Your body is God's.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20New Living Translation (NLT)

19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

Are you honoring God with your body?  Are you following the Spirit of God, or your own spirit of never being quite up to par?  Are you consistently beating yourself up, putting yourself down, over-eating, over-exercising, over-critizing yourself, your looks, your body?  I know that most of us can answer these questions with a big ol', 'YES!', which means we are beating up God's beautiful creation; which means, we are basically living in sin - sin (all sin, no matter the sin) which leads to death.  

Well enough is enough!  It is time to stop focusing on death and begin to focus on God, LIFE! We must try to remember that He owns our bodies, He made our bodies, and, therefore, we must change our way of thinking about our bodies; the way we talk about our bodies, the way we torture our bodies with food, exercise, stress and strain, and the way we look at and see ourselves, (our bodies), in the mirror.  

Friends, change is in dire order if a good portion of your life is spent being unhappy with YOU; who you are and how you were made.  So, let's begin to live out the way God has made us.  Let's see our bodies the way that God made them: perfect!!  And, most of all, remember this: our bodies are God's and made by God, and He makes no imperfect being. 

You are beautiful!  Now, begin to live and believe like it!!!

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Clear, unshaken, and blameless conscience.

"Therefore I always exercise and discipline myself [mortifying my body, deadening my carnal affections, bodily appetites, and worldly desires, endeavoring in all respects] to have a clear (unshaken, blameless) conscience, void of offense toward God and toward men."  Acts 24:16 AMP

Boy, I sure wish more of us would spend time on this type of exercise and discipline -  what an amazing place the world would be to live in if we did!  Plus, a lot healthier, happier, and loving, too!

Let me ask you, Is your conscience clear and void of offense against God and man?  If not, why don't you take time to make it right; start a new trend and be an example?  Although we may not be able to change the world, I believe that if each of us make type of exercise and discipline a priority, we will be able to greatly change our personal attitudes, health, well-being, and joy, and those attributes will eventually spread to those around you, helping to change this world - one person at a time.